A bulbar can be made out of different materials such as steel, aluminium and plastic. Off-road 4WD vehicles are used to travelling in rough conditions and bullbars can give a measure of safety while on the road. They provide a great measure of safety when it comes to head-on collisions.
For lighter vehicles, lighter bullbars should be used but bullbars are mostly used in 4WD vehicles. So in most vehicles, steel bullbars like the MCC rocker bulbar are considered the best option due to their strength. In addition to the material the bulbar is made of, you need to consider its thickness as this will play a part in determining its effectiveness. The factory approach angle can be improved by the approach angle that you get after you fit the bulbar. This is a factor that will increase the performance of the 4WD.
Make sure that you ask the supplier about the standards of different bullbars and whether they follow guidelines when it comes to bulbar design. Some guidelines that apply to vehicle modifications also apply bullbar installations. Bullbars should not have open ended frame members and small items should not be attached to them. The width of the vehicle should not be altered by the fitting on the bulbar and it should be devoid of sharp edges.
Recovery points are another important factor. There is a large load that will be exerted on the bulbar when you are using a winch and there should be recovery points in order to withstand these forces. You need to check the rating and the design of a recovery point to evaluate its effectiveness. Any time there is a place for attachments on the bulbar, there should be recovery points designed to bear the brunt of the force.
The recovery points on the front should be in the same line as the chassis rails. The inclusion of recovery points should be a standard when it comes to bulbar manufacturing. The bulbar should be manufactured according to standards so you need to check beforehand how the design complies with these standards.
The front bumper of most cars will be fitted with fog lights and when you remove it to fit a bulbar, you need to see whether there is a provision to reuse the factory-fitted fog lights or whether there is additional hardware required to mount them onto the bullbar. You need to be able to use the winch without bending the bullbar. It is rare to use a winch but there are situations that call for its use. You need to look at how the winch will be fitted onto the bullbar.
You can ensure maximum strength if it is bolted straight to the front portion of the bullbar. Strength is compromised when the mounting location is on a cross member or you are mounting the winch downwards. The bullbars were originally used to protect vehicles from animal strikes. You need to make sure that the bullbar protects the radiator and the headlights of the car.
